Awakened Mind training did not begin with the Integral
perspective in mind, but as it gradually evolved over time we realized
that Awakened Mind Coaching was a natural fit with the AQUAL
model(Wilber). Integral Awakened Mind Coaching

 (IAMC)
now makes use of the Integral perspective in organizing the over all
training. As the reader can see from the above IAMC begins and ends with
"Brain State". Integral theory as developed by Wilber recognizes
states, structures, lines, and types. All of these aspects are taken
into consideration when training the Awakened Mind state.

In Integral
theory the states naturally given are waking, dreaming, and
non-dreaming. In addition it also introduces two states that are not
naturally given but may be developed with training over time; turiya and
turiyatitah. Turiya is defined as the fourth state of consciousness, it
is a state where awareness is seamless and continuous with waking,
dreaming and dreamless sleep. Turiyatitah is said to be a non-dual state
of awareness. We consider the Awakened Mind state to be a natural
state, in fact one that each person would normally manifest, except for
the very unnatural demands of today's world.

The main point we wish to
make is that for IAMC "state" is the physiological monitoring of the
brain waves using the Mind Mirror EEG. IAMC is a non-linear approach,
which is purely educational in practice. When we monitor the frequency
pattern of the brain it is the signature, "current brain wave
state"(CBWS), of the person, and then, through the use of guided
meditations we teach the individual how to re-access his/her natural
state - the Awakened Mind.

We also recognize that this new state will still reflect the
current personality types and developmental structures the person had
when beginning training. We generally use Enneatyping
as this is easily understood and applied by most people.

AQUAL:

Content/Self
- Upper Left Quadrant(I)

The evolution of
consciousness is central to Integral theory and the internal/subjective
personal experience of consciousness occupies the Upper Left Quadrant
in the AQUAL model. In IAMC we view consciousness for didactic purposes
as composed of three primary elements; state, content, and awareness. We
have already outlined what we mean by measurable "state". Content is
what Wilber refers to as structures, lines, and types. It also has the
meaning of anything contained in the field of awareness; sensation,
feelings, thoughts, etc.

It is said that Alan Watts once quipped that
"meditation was the art of staying awake while falling asleep". This
points to the importance of awareness in the overall development of
consciousness. We use content, that is guided meditations, to produce
specific states, alpha, alpha/theta, delta, and finally the Awakened
Mind state, in order to train awareness. It is awareness training,
noticing the flow of experience, that is the essence of our
consciousness training.

We can see that though awareness is the
"container" for state and content it also goes through a developmental
process of dis-identification with state and content. Even though
awareness is "ever present", it is initially totally fused, or
identified with, state and content. This is the normal developmental
condition of most of humanity. By holding attention on awareness during
each shift in state, and each appearance of content, it becomes possible
to gradually dis-entangle awareness from both. This is not a spiritual
process, though it is often characterized as such, it is purely
developmental and no more mysterious than any other developmental
process.(Susanne
R. Cook-Greuter )

www.awakened-mind.com
Gary Groesbeck BA BCIAC Fellow has co-taught biofeedback, neurofeedback and meditation for stress management at Columbia Community College for over two decades. He is currently in private practice coaching Awakened Mind Contemplative (more...)